Times are changing...
There's not a day that I am not reminded about the cruel world we live in today. It's not fair. I'm only 18, and for a long time my childhood was focused on ''am I gonna live another day'' it's like im living just to die & i honestly do feel like that. Kids who had been my classmates are no longer here, and why??? Because of unnecessary violence. It seems as though we have lost patients with people. Why is our generation so angry? Why is it that ''we'' feel we need people to fear us? Is it because ''we're'' afraid? is it because all of our lives ''we've'' been pushed around? Is it because ''we'' feel oppressed & our solution is to fight back with violence?
But, what we do have to keep in mind is that most homicides occur in cities with poor economic state. Such as Watts, South Central, Compton, etc. These people especially fear for their lives every minute of the day.
So, why is the homicide rate higher in poor neighborhoods?
I have seen many documentaries on gangs in L.A. and in every documentary money and respect is always an issue. Many of the teens who join gangs, join because they want to feel accepted and in some way ''cared'' for, as well as feeling safe. They feel that because they are in a gang they WILL be respected & to some extent that can be true. But it doesn't give them the right to rob someone of their life. Most youngsters commiting these crimes have had rough childhoods, having to see things that can damage your way of thinking. Kind of like a monkey see, monkey do type of thing. They see their elders kill, and they do the same because that is what they know. They may feel killing is a way to cope with pain they're feeling inside. Still though, it doesnt justify their actions. And my heart goes out to all the people who have lost their loved ones to the never ending battles of ''the hood''.
Posted by: Janelle V. | June 29, 2007 at 02:44 AM
Los Angeles Times
By A Young Person in LA
There's not a day that I am not reminded about the cruel world we live in today. It's not fair. I'm only 18, and for a long time my childhood was focused on ''am I gonna live another day'' it's like im living just to die & i honestly do feel like that. Kids who had been my classmates are no longer here, and why??? Because of unnecessary violence. It seems as though we have lost patients with people. Why is our generation so angry? Why is it that ''we'' feel we need people to fear us? Is it because ''we're'' afraid? is it because all of our lives ''we've'' been pushed around? Is it because ''we'' feel oppressed & our solution is to fight back with violence?
But, what we do have to keep in mind is that most homicides occur in cities with poor economic state. Such as Watts, South Central, Compton, etc. These people especially fear for their lives every minute of the day.
So, why is the homicide rate higher in poor neighborhoods?
I have seen many documentaries on gangs in L.A. and in every documentary money and respect is always an issue. Many of the teens who join gangs, join because they want to feel accepted and in some way ''cared'' for, as well as feeling safe. They feel that because they are in a gang they WILL be respected & to some extent that can be true. But it doesn't give them the right to rob someone of their life. Most youngsters commiting these crimes have had rough childhoods, having to see things that can damage your way of thinking. Kind of like a monkey see, monkey do type of thing. They see their elders kill, and they do the same because that is what they know. They may feel killing is a way to cope with pain they're feeling inside. Still though, it doesnt justify their actions. And my heart goes out to all the people who have lost their loved ones to the never ending battles of ''the hood''.
Posted by: Janelle V. | June 29, 2007 at 02:44 AM
Los Angeles Times
By A Young Person in LA
